The Four Tasks
by faintsoul
Summary: -Each of them will be given a task in order to open his eyes again- Mainly Nalu
1. Chapter 1

**I**

The Four Tasks

Fairy Tail isn't mine, kay?

_Flashbacks_ - Normal Story - _'Thoughts'_

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**One : His State**

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Her dining table was empty. The grilled chicken she make was remaining untouched. The hot chocolate wasn't hot anymore. It's just a cold cup filled with dull brown colored liquid with bitter and sweet flavor. The Christmas day was a week ago yet she still hangs the mistletoe in front of her room door. She sighed hardly and forced a smile. She sat on the chair behind the dining table and begin eating the cold grilled chicken. She almost choked by how spicy it was. Sure, the chicken wasn't for her, it was for him to begin with but she had forgotten. He won't come back.

_'But he's still alive'_

She decided to discard the chicken. It's such a waste, really, but she had to do this otherwise the tears will fall again. She hates it. So much. If he was here, he would ruffle her hair and grinned happily to cheer her up.

_'I know he is still alive, everyone believes in that, too'_

Erza kept on telling her that it wasn't her fault but still.. Even Gray was crying at that moment while forcing his rival to open his eyes. Erza blames herself for forcing the little girl to go to that mission that leads to a big mistake. Wendy also blames herself for her lack of strength and magic power. The simple mission has gone wrong. It ended up with a sacrifice of a very dear nakama.

A soft knock from her door awake her from her nostalgia. Wiping the tears that finally fell, she opened the door and saw the redhead with a rather sad face and a man with raven hair with his usual cool demeanor. Both of them said nothing then the girl lets them in. She went to her room to change her clothes and they headed to the place where he was.

_It was another ordinary day on Fairy Tail. Brawl everywhere and at the bar, Erza sat with her strawberry cake as usual. Natsu was fighting Gray and Lucy was drinking her milkshake beside Levy. Suddenly, Erza went to the mission board and took a piece of paper. She called the rest of team Natsu, asking if they want to go to a mission or not. Of course, Natsu agreed without any doubt and so do the other but Wendy asked if they could pick another mission. The little girl had a bad feeling but after being convinced by Lucy and Happy, she finally tag along._

_The mission was very simple. A weird monster is making ruckus on a little town without a name. Erza was very curious because the reward was so high but the paper stated only minimum information. On the train, as usual, Natsu get his motion sickness and sleep on Lucy's lap. Gray was sleeping next to Erza and Wendy with the exceeds sat in another seat. Carla and Wendy was the same. The two had a very bad feeling but Wendy just shrugged it off while Carla tried to use her ability to foresee the future. It was failing and causing her head hurt so badly. Happy was eating his fish as usual then sleep._

_As the group arrived in the nameless town, they greeted by an old man that was the village's chief. They went to his house and they talked about the weird monster._

_"This monster only appears during the night and they eat my villagers' livestock. I want you to kill them and I'll give you the reward." That was all he say then they went around the town to search for an inn to stay. That night they decided to do the act, Lucy and Wendy went to the forest, Erza went to the riverbank, Natsu went to the west side of the town, and Gray went to the south side of the town. They were ready to kill the monster that time._

No one dares to talk in the train. Erza just stared at the scenery outside, Gray lowered his head, and Lucy shuts her eyes to prevent the tears to come out. The exceeds and Wendy were already at that place, waiting for them and guarding him, casting a spell since 2 days ago.

Erza was thinking about how stupid she was. How stupid and idiotic she was for not noticing the tiny mistake she made. She draws them all to the verge of death, heck, she even make one of them as a sacrifice. But the pride blocked her sense. That time, she'd rather die than returning to Fairy Tail with a failed mission. They did that frequently but why that time . .? Only on that mission, why her pride didn't let her brain to think properly? Damn it all, she didn't know what controlled her that time. Only regret lingering her head after his . . . incident.

_The monster didn't turn out that night. They decided to wait for the next night. The nameless town was quiet, too quiet to be honest. The townspeople talk rarely and do most of their activities inside their house for god-know-what. Lucy didn't care though. She only hoped to finish the mission quickly so they could get out of the town. It actually gave the creeps to her but she didn't tell anyone about it. The next night, when she was in the forest together with Wendy, she felt another presence between the two. She readied Loke's key just in case the monster turned out itself but the presence was quickly gone as Erza came to tell the two to go back to the inn since the sun was about to rise. It was the second night but the monster didn't show itself and something was a little bit off about the little town._

_Lucy walked slowly to feel the presence but she couldn't. It was gone, just like . . gone. As they reached the border of the town, Erza signaled them to stop because she want to check some things. Wendy and Lucy did as she said then Erza went back to the forest._

_"What do you think she is doing, Wendy?" Lucy asked to Wendy but she didn't answer. Oh well, maybe the little dragon slayer was tired and dozing off. At that time, Lucy felt the presence again for a second then it disappears. Suddenly, Erza appeared in front of her and Wendy, making the two jumped in surprise. "Erza-san! Please don't scare us again!" Wendy said after the sudden appear of Erza._

_"Hm? I thought you two were. . Oh forget it, I'm sorry, Wendy, Lucy. Let's go back to our inn. We need to make another strategy for tonight." Erza stated then they walked again. As they reached their room, they saw Natsu and Gray was already sleeping on the couch. Erza went to the bathroom while Lucy and Wendy just fell to their bed in the exhaust. Who knows such simple mission would take some time longer?_

They got off of the train still in silence. Gray was too busy calming himself he didn't leave his white cloak or his pants. Erza was deep in thought she didn't even smell the sweet smell of strawberry cake. Lucy was daydreaming, or zoomed out, she almost bumped into an old man. The shop was finally in sight. Erza went in while Gray and Lucy are waiting outside. A carriage was hired with two horses. They continued to that place with it, not bothering using train because the train station at that place was destroyed and too much train isn't healthy for their brain. Too much memory about him. If this continues, they won't be able to moving on.

They didn't want to believe in the reality cause it was so much cruel. The fact about he died in front of them was too cruel. That hot head was still alive, or so they forced themselves to believe in. His temperature that wasn't going to cool down was their only prove that Natsu isn't dead. But if his temperature went another high, they didn't know what will happen to him. That's why Wendy was there at least two times a week, to cast a spell to him and to guard Gray's ice.

The road to reach him was rough but they didn't mind. As long as the tears of the blonde girl didn't fall, the two didn't mind taking even the roughest road. They were deadly silent, almost as if there is no any sign of life. Erza sat on the front so the horses stay on the track while Gray sat not far from Lucy at the back. The said-girl was emotionally weak right now and they didn't know when or where a threat would come.

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Note :

It's a little angsty but this is only the start. Please review! Should faintsoul continue this? I'll continue only if you all like it, okay? Thanks in advance^^


	2. Chapter 2

**II**

The Four Tasks

Fairy Tail isn't mine, kay?

_Flashbacks_ - Normal Story - _'Thoughts'_

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**Two : The Old Man**

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_It was already around 2 in the midday. The village, during the daytime, was equally quiet as night time. The villagers rarely went out of their house, maybe because of their fear of the beast or they always do their work in their house. Well, the village was a little one without any special or famous place. No school, no library, just a plain old village and their location weren't detected on the map of Fiore. The village, maybe, was a group of nomads or something similar and they decided to make a little village in that area because of the big river._

_Lucy glanced around the village, looking for a shop or something like that but didn't find any. She strolled around the village by herself because the rest of the team was sleeping, well at least she could call Plue if she wants but she decided to save her energy for tonight. She had a feeling the monster was going to turn out tonight. Tonight is going to be the third night since the day they arrived there. She huffed in annoyance. Just how come a village could be this peaceful without any single of shop. Walking from south area to east area, she found an old fountain and decided to sit there. The fountain was covered with moss and was broken. She noticed a statue of a creature with wings not far from the fountain._

_'What is this statue doing here? Is that wings?'_

_As Lucy thought that, she saw the village's chief walked with his cane around a certain spot. He did some weird move, then a little pentagram appeared around him. Lucy quickly hides behind the statue, then peek at the old man. He walked to another spot and do the same weird move and another pentagram appeared. The village's chief then walked out of fountain area, not noticing Lucy behind the statue. After checking the situation, Lucy walked to the area where the pentagram once appeared. It wasn't there anymore. She went to another area and didn't find the second pentagram. Damn, she didn't take a better look to the pentagram, but to the weird move of the old man._

_'Oh well, maybe he just cast a spell to the village so it won't be destroyed by Natsu and Erza.'_

Gray's eyes shot open. He glanced around in panic, but after he saw Lucy sleeping and Erza sat on the front seat, he inwardly sighed in relief. The nightmare was getting worse day by day. The memory of that incident kept playing in his sleep. It has been four weeks and five days since the incident yet the memory keep on haunting him. He wasn't being able to forget that incident, hell it was like just happened yesterday. His hand clenched into a tight fist as his knuckle turned white. Memory about his nakama, beaten and tossed around like a rag doll, bleeding as heck with limp body, weak punches and kicks . . .just what the hell with that mission?!

"Gray," a soft yet strong voice pulled him back to the reality. He raised his head to the person in the front seat that controlling the horses. Erza was worried about him. "You're sweating a lot."

"I think so." He replied with a weak smile. The face he makes right now was full of exhaust. "I tossed around, right? Guess that shitty memory kept playing in this." He pointed to his head and tried to joke around to assure her that he was fine with it.

"Well, you were drooling." She tried to contain her laugh since Lucy was sleeping. "Anyway, we need another two or three hours to make it to that place." She continued.

Gray yawned then moved closer to Erza so he could see the scenery. It was around midday and he didn't want to sleep anymore. "Why don't you rest? I'll be in the charge of the horses." He offered.

"Thanks, but it's okay. Just watch Lucy if she starts to say those things again." She said without averting her sight on the blonde. Lucy was sleeping while hugging her knees to her chest and buried her head within it. A sniffle could be heard from her. Erza was right, the memory wasn't only haunting Gray, but also herself and Lucy. But it seems Lucy's was worse than the two since she was watching the entire incident.

Gray went to Lucy's side then patted her head to make her felt comfortable. His action just makes her soft sniffles to the bigger one as she whispered Natsu's name. At the sight of this, Gray quickly wakes Lucy up so she didn't need to suffer from the nightmare. As Lucy's eyes opened, puffy and red eyes showed, Erza quickly went to Lucy to give the girl hug as long as the girl want. Gray took the reins of the horses as Erza comfort the young girl. Since the incident, Lucy has lived with Erza for a week. Every night, she would cry in her sleep and Erza, being her big sister, would hug her until she fell asleep again. Well, who wouldn't be sad to see your beloved person sacrificing himself to protect you? That was the nightmare Lucy kept having every night.

_That night, Wendy and Lucy went to the forest and decided to wait for the monster. After two or three hours waiting with no result, they walked around the forest to search for it. A loud cry echoed the forest as a big pillar of electricity with purple color appeared from the village, not too far from their position. Shot, they were all wrong, no one in the village right now yet the monster turned out in the village._

_"Wendy! Go with Carla and make sure the villagers go to the safe place!" Lucy said as they ran back to the village. Carla used her aera and lifted Wendy while Lucy called Loke to attack the monster._

_Lucy prepared her whip and saw Erza already running to the purple pillar too. She changed into her heavenly wheel armor as she runs. She also saw Gray, without his shirt on, making a sky way with ice so he could arrive there faster. The two quickly disappeared from her sight so Lucy decided to look for Wendy if she needs help._

_"Lucy-san!" Wendy called to her from above. "I can't find the villagers! They are just disappearing!" She continued._

_Lucy paled. The little dragonslayer was right. The village was so quiet and empty, like no one ever lived there. Lucy went to the nearest house and knocked the door in panic. No one answered then she went to the next door with the same result. Just where the villagers are right now?! "How about the chief?! Do you find him?!" Lucy asked._

_"I couldn't find him either but I caught the smell of his! It's on that pillar area!" She and Carla quickly went to the pillar. Right, she just saw him doing the weird move and creating a pentagon. And the area where the pillar was the area where the old man made the move. No way, it couldn't be right! It hadn't to be right!_

_A wind blew rougher by Wendy's magic from above, still flying with Carla. She could see a glimpse of red and silver light from the pillar area. "Loke!" She screamed as she saw her loyal spirit fought the unseen monster with battered body. Bleeding and she could swear he had some broken bones. "Just come back to the spirit world! I'll call Gemini or Virgo!" Then she forced close his gate and call Virgo. The maid didn't have any spare time to ask for punishment and such, she just straightly charged at the monster. The fog created by dust covered her sight so she couldn't see the monster clearly._

_The purple pillar dimmed and disappeared. The fog cleared and showed her a big creature with purple color and gold lines like a script all over its body, with a long chain to link its neck with a body of an old man she really recognized. "Return the chief, bastard!" Natsu roared his fire to the monster but the monster just simply absorb his attack. "And the villagers, too!" He punched with his fist that was covered with flame. Erza slashed it with her swords but it didn't affect the monster. Even Gray couldn't freeze it with his ice and Wendy couldn't move it with her furious wind. Fortunately, they were all fine without any single cut. Then what happened with Loke?_

_"Princess," Loke suddenly appeared as if reading Lucy's mind. "The chief . . and the villagers. . . monster." He explained quickly._

_"W-What do you mean. .?" Lucy asked him with wide eyes, but before he could answer, the lion sent back to the spirit world with his lack of magic power. "Loke! Tch. ." She bites her lower lips as she summoned Virgo. The maid didn't ask for punishment or anything, she is just charging straightly at the beast._

_Gray used his ice make magic to make a blade and sliced the monster and Natsu using his fire dragon's fist to attack it but their magic was simply absorbed. Erza used all of her blade but it didn't do any damage. The beast just stood still without moving. Human's blood could be seen around it while the chief was currently unconscious. Where are the villagers?_

_Wendy stood beside Lucy. She was exhausted with pale face. She just like she wanted to cry but she couldn't. The other three mages didn't continue their attack, seeing it was useless. The beast was like a stone. It wasn't even move a single part of its body. Were those wings? Lucy quickly glanced to the place where the statue was and saw it missing._

_"If our magic didn't do any damage why don't we use our fist?" Lucy heard Erza saying those words, quickly replied by grins of the two boys. They attacked it with kicks and punches or in Erza's state, used her non-magic sword. The big purple monster didn't make any move but the three kept on doing their tasks. Wendy and Lucy, didn't good with martial art, just watched the three as a question appeared in Lucy's head._

_"Wendy," Lucy said. "Where are the villagers?" She asked._

_"This. . This is only my thought, Lucy-san, but I think the monster," she gulped in nervous as she averted her eyes. "I think the monster eats them all. ."_

Erza felt the girl in her arms once again fell asleep. She put her in the comfortable position, then went to Gray. She didn't realize that she herself was falling asleep, too, no wonder the place already could be seen from afar. "Sorry, I fell asleep." She said to Gray and replied with a 'nah' as an 'it's okay' answer. The place was hardly recognized as a village in the beginning. The houses were all destroyed. They moved slowly to Natsu's place. As they were getting nearer to him, ice could be seen everywhere. On the road, the ruins of the houses, everywhere. It leaves a bitter taste in Gray's mouth.

On a certain road where it was covered with ice completely, they decided to walk there. Erza went to wake Lucy up and they went out of the carriage. The three walked until they saw a big crystal clear ice with a little girl in front of it and two cats beside her.

"Wendy. ." Lucy whispered as she approaches her, crouching in front of the girl with tired face. "Are you alright? Please rest, we have arrived so please take it easy, okay?" She said and Wendy just replied her with a soft voice before fell asleep.

"Lushy. . ." Happy stood next to her with a sad face. "I miss Natsu. ." He said with teary eyes.

"Me, too, Happy. We all are missing him but I'm sure he would regain his consciousness somehow. Gray's ice is melting a little, right?" She patted the blue furred exceed. "Are you hungry? Erza might bring some fishes for you and Carla. And Carla?" She turned to the white exceed.

"What is it?" She asked. "Okay, I get it. The carriage is not far from here, right?" She used her aera then lifted Wendy to the carriage.

Gray and Erza approached her. And him, too. They stared at him with an equally sad face. "Oi, flamehead," Gray started. "You gotta be alive or if not, I'll make sure to beat the shit outta you. Just. .don't die." His bangs covered his eyes as his hands formed fist.

"Natsu, I'm sorry," Here comes Erza with her strong yet sad voice. She just couldn't stand it to see her childhood friend being locked up inside a big ice. "I don't know what happened to me that time. It was really a fool of me, letting my pride over our safety. In the end, we came back to the guild with failed mission. Master was worried sick when he first hears your incident and so did the others. Us four, will do anything to make you open your eyes again so until then, please be patient because we will do our best." She said, tears fell down her cheeks but she quickly wiped it with her hand.

Natsu was there, inside the prison of ice created by Gray. He looked like he was sleeping. Erza pushed Gray to walk to the carriage to give Lucy some privacy with him. Gray didn't like the idea, because Lucy might be attacked by someone, she didn't bring her keys with her. Lucy gave the two reassuring smiles then they walked to the carriage.

"Just scream if something weird happens, okay?" He said before walking too far, earning a nod from the blonde.

Lucy stood in front of him. Flashed her best smile she could do at that moment but actually she was breaking inside, crying his name over and over. "Ne, Natsu, how are you?" She started. "I'm sure you can hear me, right? Make sure to remember what Gray and Erza said because they are very worried about you. Happy is missing you and we all are. It was so gloomy in Fairy Tail without your stupid brawl with Gray or Gajeel. Gray has lost his stripping habits but it felt weird if Erza or I didn't remind him every minute. Wendy was here since two or three days ago to make sure Gray's ice isn't melting yet." Her smile wavered a bit.

"It was hurt, you know? The memory of you protecting us by sacrificing yourself is hurting us. It gives us nightmare every night so we tried to avoid sleep but we can't. I'm not blaming you for the nightmare, we only shocked." Lucy took a step forward and placed her hands on the ice. She grimaced at the coldness but she didn't care. "I really miss you. This ice is so cold, I want your hand to make mine warm. It sounds weird, yeah? Well, I'm weird after all." She forced a chuckle before her shoulders shook hardly.

"Maybe. . maybe I'm the one who talks a lot, but we will never get bored to come to you. We will search for your cure, Wendy will heal you through this ice, Gray will never get bored to use his ice magic to make this big ice even if he says nonsense. We will do, no, I will do anything to open your eyes so make sure to wait for me, okay?" She managed to say the last word without any stutter because she was breaking outside now. She placed her forehead on the ice while sobbing quietly.

"Do you want him to live?"

Lucy quickly glanced to the side. She saw an old man with a long white beard and was bringing a scythe. The aura he was giving was dreadful, as if he was the angel of death.

"You're right, young one, my name is Death, I'm the angel of death." Lucy's eyes widened with shock and fear. And a little bit of relief, actually. "I'll ask you once again, do you want him to live?"

"Y-Yes! Of course not o-only me, but also the others, too!" She replied.

Death smirked, "Very well, the other three mages are already agreed and they are now in a deep sleep."

"What?! Why? D-Don't you dare to tell you-"

"I gave them three tasks, one task for each and I'll be giving you your task but remember, the task is so hard, are you sure you agree?" He asked.

"I don't care if it's hard as heck! I accept the task, but keep your promise to make Natsu back to life!" She said, not showing any regret or fear towards the old man.

"Very well, if you complete the task then I'll grant your wish. Not just yours, but the your friend's task, too." He put his schyte on her backside and sliced her bode into two, earning a loud scream from the girl.

_The monster, suddenly moved and used its wings to make a typhoon. Erza and Natsu managed to dodge it but Gray didn't notice it and the wind sliced his body a little. Erza changed to her heavenly wheel armor as Wendy pushed back the typhoon by her wind. The monster soared high in the sky, blazing a bright red as the script turned black. It screamed a really loud cry. A war-cry._

_"This gotta be interesting." Natsu said, grinning widely after he saw the monster was burning with fire. The monster flew as a black sphere appeared and hit Natsu in his process of attacking it. Erza took the chance to use her sword to cut its neck, then it fell to the ground, ash forming from its deceased body. "Erza! You are cheating!" Natsu said loudly._

_"That was a piece of cake, wasn't it?" Erza said, ignoring Natsu's whine._

_The ash moved and growing into the monster again and quickly attacked Erza. She didn't have the time to notice it since she was trying to remove the chain from the chief's neck. She was blown into a house and crashed into the wall with a painful sound. Lucy called Taurus to attack it and Wendy roared wind. The two attacks seemed to make some hit and before it regained its sense, Natsu punched it with his blazing fist and Gray used his ice cannon._

_'Come back to life, fire, fly around. .It's a Phoenix?!'_

.

Note :

This is the longest chapter I've ever made! Around 3,000 words! By the way, hope you like it this far. Their mission story hasn't finished yet so maybe I'll make it finished with the next chapter if. I hope many people read this and like this. If you have any complains or maybe any idea about their tasks because I haven't made a plan of it yet, please _review_ or _pm_ me! Thanks for all who read, favorite, following, and reviewing this. Well, I'll be signing out! Don't forget to review' kay? See you next chap!


	3. Chapter 3

**III**

The Four Tasks

Fairy Tail isn't mine, kay?

_Flashbacks_ - Normal Story - _'Thoughts'_

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**Three : The Phoenix**

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_The legendary fire bird flew around above them, forming a big sphere that glowing black. As if the darkness was shining, their surrounding went darker and darker until none of them could see each other. They were inside the sphere and the phoenix hunts them from above, like an eagle hunting the rabbits. They were the rabbits, trapped inside a 3d ball without able to see anything. Natsu lights his fire on his fist but it didn't work. The sphere just absorbed the fire, not only his fire, but also draining their magic power._

_Wendy tried to use her wind dragon's roar but didn't make any change to the sphere. Natsu kicked and punched the sphere, but it was like a really thick glass, a bullet-proof glass. Gray made a blade and swung it directlessly before the ice sword disappear. Wendy felt her conscious started to slip away but she must stay awake! She had to! What if one of them attacked and have serious injuries? Who will be healing them if she fainted?_

_"Gah!" Natsu let out a loud gasp as many sharp blades or knives, cutting his skin on his back then he has thrown away before be crashed into the glass sphere. "Damn. ." He cursed under his breath._

_"Natsu!" Lucy called him after hearing a loud gasp followed by a loud thump afterwards. "Natsu are you okay?!" She called while walking aimlessly, hoping she could find him somewhere._

_"Watch your surroundings! It is in this place!" He shouted while grabbing his aching back. Damn it, if only the sphere didn't absorb their magic, he would make a hole with his fire roar._

_Wendy slumped as her head felt like spinning. She couldn't tell where is up or where is down, everything was the same for her. Opening her eyes is the same as closing it. No, she has to stay awake. To fight the monster and do her job as a healer for the team. Her head hung low, her neck was unable to support her heavy head. Her normal breathe turned into a soft pant. She slowly gasps for air, for her lungs that has ached so badly. "Lucy-san. . ."_

_"Wendy? Wendy, where are you? Wendy!" Lucy turned to another side to Wendy's voice. She heard the little girl's whimper. She was no doctor, but at least she knew that Wendy was hurting somewhere. She used her magic power too much in the first period on attacking the phoenix and including her in this sphere was the biggest mistake. Lucy walked slowly, fearing she would bump into Wendy in her powerless state. She halted. She swore she saw a flash of light somewhere around here just now._

_"Argh!"_

_"Gray?!" Lucy called. The voice just now was Gray's right? "Gray where are you?! Wendy please answer me!" She started shouting but got nothing as the answer._

_Lucy broke into a run. She couldn't see a thing. Her fear strengthened as she stumbled into something. Or maybe someone. Lucy quickly crouched and trying to grab someone, something. Then her hand came to a contact with a soft, silky, tiny yet long thread. God, it was a hair! "Wendy! Wendy are you alright? Please answer me!" She quickly put Wendy's head on her lap. Curses to the darkness she couldn't tell whether she was pale or not._

_". .cy-san. .?" Wendy mumbled. "Lucy. .san. .?" She asked once again in a stronger voice._

_"Wendy! Thank goodness! Are you alright?" She asked. It was a stupid question, hearing her weak voice but Lucy just wants to make sure the little healer just tired because of her magic power being absorbed._

_"No worries. .Lucy-san. . I'm just tired. . ." She replied._

_'Oh no, you're not fine, Wendy.' Lucy thought. She took a key, feeling the texture and the shape, then summoned Horologium. The grandfather clock wasn't glowed as the light absorbed quickly by the darkness. "Wendy, I want you to stay inside. Horologium will make your magic power untouched by the sphere." She said as she put the girl inside._

_Wendy wanted to protest but she couldn't in her current state. It would be better to listen to what Lucy says rather than having a meaningless fight with her. Wendy heard Horologium's door closed. "Please take care of her, Horologium, I'm counting on you." She said._

_"I will, Lucy-san. The girl inside says 'thank you, Lucy-san.' " Horologium said._

_"Please tell Wendy to rest. I'll be back for some minutes, okay." Lucy said then walked away until she heard kicking voice from her right side. She approached it, sometimes calling for Gray or Natsu. Lucy could feel her body went weaker but she didn't care. As long as they can get out of the sphere, everything will be alright._

_"Natsu! Gray! Where are you?!" She called for the tenth times. Sharp blades suddenly piercing through her skin on her legs. Then something trapped her body in a tight grip. She let out a little gasp as her lungs needs for air. "Open! Gate of Taurus!" She shouted while trying to grip Taurus' key._

_A loud cow voice could be heard as a loud cry from her attacker pained her ears, following in her body flying in the air for a moment before she fell to the ground. Before she knew it, Taurus has disappeared. Her magical power was now depleted. She summoned Gemini and asked the twin to change into her. She was planning to use Urano Metria since the darkness will consume light but she thought the sphere would break if the light was too much to be contained._

_The two Lucys linked their hands and chanted the spell. Both of them could feel the phoenix was flying above her, ready to strike her whenever it wants. As their eyes opened, a blinding light appeared and pushing away the darkness. She could see Horologium with Wendy inside, Natsu and Gray that was either kicking or punching the glass but she didn't see Erza. Where was she?_

_A loud crack from the glass plus Natsu and Gray's kicks, the sphere was broken like a glass. Crumbled into a millions pieces of tiny glass then they fell to the ground, the actual ground. Gemini had disappeared right after their attack complete while Horologium stayed and the clock landed softly. Natsu and Gray high-fives while Lucy panting heavily. She was about to check Wendy's condition but the phoenix attacked her with its typhoon. It scratched Lucy's skin in a very painful way._

_Natsu and Gray attacked together as suddenly Erza appeared with her fire empress armor. Natsu punched the phoenix with his fire fist and Gray trapped it inside his ice cage while Erza charging dangerously with her sword. The phoenix broke free easily. It was when the chief opened his eyes then smirked before laughing like a maniac._

_"What the hell with you, old man?" Natsu asked, confused._

_"Foolish mages, you don't realize, do you? You walked straight into my trap!" He shouted then added,"The ritual will be complete. . I just need one other human then I will be an immortal!"_

_"Shut up! Immortality is nonsense!" Lucy snapped, despite her condition, she looks like she didn't even sweating inside the sphere minus the injuries on her legs and the deep scratches by the typhoon. For the chief, she was going to be his perfect sacrifice to make the ritual complete. He grinned and laughed sickenly. The phoenix itself, didn't obey the chief, even if he was the one who summoned it. It flew around, trying to cut the chain that linked it with the puny old man._

_"Bring it, old man." Natsu growled. Standing in front of Lucy defensively as if he knows the chief intention. "Erza!" He shouted._

_Erza nodded her head then attacked the phoenix with her heavenly wheel armor, slicing its wing. Gray used his ice sword, he also cut the other wing then Natsu roared his fire as the finishing. The phoenix fell to the ground then its body forming ash and then life once again._

_Just how the hell this creature die?_

_'Think, Lucy, think! Remember about the phoenix ritual, how to defeat it. . .how to defeat it. . .' Lucy thought to herself as she forced her injured legs to walk to Horologium. 'Thank goodness Wendy is alright. .' She breathed relief._

_"Lucy!" She heard a shout but her body was being gripped firmly with the phoenix's claw. The chief was nowhere to be seen. She saw Natsu and Erza arguing while Gray forming an ice cannon. She wanted to summon Loke, but she remembers about his beaten up figure, or maybe Aries or maybe Virgo. Just as she held the key of Aries, the phoenix absorbs her magic power, leaving her body weak. Eyes too tired to even stay open._

_On the ground, Erza and Natsu were arguing about how to kill the Firebird. "You can't defeat it with your blade, goddamit!" Natsu shouted._

_"Heck yes I can, Natsu! I can _kill_ it with my blade, not _defeat_ it!" She growled. "Just stay out of this, Natsu! You can't kill it! _I _will kill it!" She charged at the bird, followed by Gray's ice cannon that was hurting the bird's wing. The phoenix fell to the ground and Erza sliced it with her sword, but the wing doesn't separate. Her blade was slicing through it. She was shocked and confused but then when the phoenix started a typhoon, she successfully avoided it._

_More typhoon formed and slicing them, including Lucy, who was in the phoenix's firm grip. The three mages tried to stand but with all deep cut they were having, they just couldn't stand properly which make the phoenix throw them around. Lucy wasn't unconscious. The phoenix didn't absorb her magic power anymore and the grip wasn't as tight as it was. She used all of her remaining strength to move the claw, then she fell to the ground. She fought hard to stand but the typhoon was hurting her._

_She saw her teammates being tossed around. Just like a toy or a doll. They were bleeding as much as she was bleeding right now. She glanced to Horlogoium, at least they got Wendy to heal them after the mission end._

_This was where the incident started._

_The phoenix charged at Lucy, setting fire to burn her but Natsu got in the way then he ate the fire, thinking its fire was edible. He continued to eat the fire until the phoenix went smaller and smaller then disappeared. Natsu felt hot afterwards. It was inside him and it was burning him. He coughed really hard and blood dripped from his mouth. Lucy went to Wendy to heal Natsu but she couldn't leave him there alone. Gray and Erza were too far from her. Horologium had disappeared so she couldn't asked the clock to walk._

_Natsu's cough went serious, he was vomiting blood and before she knows it, Natsu went unconscious. His body temperature was abnormal from his usual abnormal body temperature. "Gray! Erza!" Lucy shouted, not even care if her throat bleeding after that loud and desperate shout._

_Gray quickly ran to her. What he saw was unbelievable. Natsu was pale and blood soaking his black vest as if it was water. Erza was fainted due to the lack of her magic power but she faintly hears Lucy's voice, shouting her and Gray's name. But she couldn't move. Her body was too tired to even make her stay awake._

_Gray place his hand to Natsu's wrist, examining for his heartbeat. He found the worst. He couldn't feel Natsu's heart beat. He quickly placed his hand to his chest, to where his heart was and the answer was the same. Natsu's heart wasn't beating anymore. He wasn't breathing anymore._

_A loud laugh could be heard from nowhere. The chief's laugh that was sounded crazy echoing the place. "I thank you all for sacrificing a human and now I'm immortal! Find me if you seek for revenge, Fairy Tail mages!"_

_Lucy was too busy to feel Natsu's breath. No. . It couldn't be. . It wasn't right at all! Natsu, her Natsu Dragneel won't die this easy!_

_"He. .Natsu is. .dead. .?" Lucy asked, tears fell to her cheeks as she forced herself not to believe it. "Gray please tell me that I'm wrong. . Please!" She begged but the ice mage didn't say anything. His bangs covered his eyes as he balled his hand into a fist._

_"Natsu-san. .?"_

_Gray lifts his head, only to see their healer in front of him, looking at Natsu with wide eye. She quickly crouched and do her best to make his heart beating once again. However, how many times she tried, she just couldn't make his heart beat come back. "Lucy-san. . ." Wendy said. "Natsu-san is-"_

_"NO!" Lucy snapped. "No, Natsu isn't dead! His temperature won't go down! He's still alive!" Lucy said._

_Wendy puts her little palm on Natsu's forehead and feel it was too hot for her. Too hot for him, too. "Gray-san! Please freeze Natsu-san! I don't know what will happen if his temperature go another high!" She said._

_Gray watched her in bewilderment. Was she serious in saying that? Because he might freeze him to death, and he won't like the idea about him died twice. "Gray-san!" Wendy shouted. Gray then took Natsu from Lucy and using his remaining magic power, he freezes him. He caged him inside his ice._

_And without him knowing it, the ice mage almost freezes the entire place around him. The road covered in thin ice, but the ice won't melt that easy. In front of him, a big crystal of ice formed, with Natsu inside unconscious as if sleeping._

.

Note :

You gotta bear with my suck fighting scene. I just realize how similar this phoenix with the phoenix on Fairy Tail the Movie but don't imagine it as a dull colored machine-like bird. This phoenix is just like most of people would describe. Expect to see more angst in the later chapter, people!

Honestly, I don't really like this fight scene. The action was too minimum and the description didn't help much either. And I think the idea of using phoenix is a bad choice. Actually phoenix is strong legendary bird which aren't easy to defeat but I made it sound so damn easy to kill and with a _poof_ it came back alive and with another _poof_ it died.

Oh well, I'm just criticizing my own chapter (-_-). I really need constructive critics. Fear me not, peoples cause I won't bite you if you criticizing me or my suckish chapter! This is so depressing. *sigh*


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